Dunkin' Donuts, a franchise with outlets nationwide, including in Florida, is facing a class action lawsuit in another state. The owners of several stores, including one person owning sixteen Dunkin' Donuts outlets along with the person who managed the payrolls for those stores, are being sued by four former employees who allege wage and hour law violations. The plaintiffs, who seek class action status, claim nonpayment of overtime and unauthorized deductions from their salaries.
The plaintiffs contend that they -- and other workers -- often worked additional hours before and after their regular shifts. Although these hours were indicated on their clock cards, it is alleged that the defendant who does the payroll regularly instructed store managers to adjust the clock-in and clock–out times. The defendant would then deduct any overtime from their recorded work hours, thereby denying them the additional payment.
The complaint further alleges that cash register shortages were deducted from the workers' salaries. Their paychecks indicated these deductions as payment on cash advances. The plaintiffs claim that these deductions were never authorized. The owner of the stores was also named as a defendant because he was aware of these violations of workers' rights and the wage and hour laws but failed to do anything to put a stop to it.
Taking legal action against large companies may seem an insurmountable task, but suitable outcomes may be achieved with the guidance of an experienced Florida attorney who is skilled in challenging business concerns of any size. An attorney can assess the allegations and explain the rights of workers under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the minimum wage laws of the state. An attorney can also represent multiple employees in class-action lawsuits in cases in which employers violate the wage and hour law.
Source: cookcountyrecord.com, "Dunkin' Donuts workers sue franchisee for altering timesheets, deducting pay, denying OT", Scott Holland, May 5, 2016